1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates generally to electronic pointing devices and more particularly to a hand-held universal remote controller employing such a device to provide a xe2x80x9cmousexe2x80x9d function on a television or other display screen.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic pointing devices are known in the prior art. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,387, entitled xe2x80x9cPositioning System Using Infrared Radiation.xe2x80x9d The device disclosed in the ""387 patent employs a hand-held positioning controller which responds to light from an infrared beacon to control positioning of objects on a display screen such as a television.
The positioning controller disclosed in the ""387 patent includes three sensors. The reference sensor is positioned between the other two sensors and is masked to receive light within a predetermined range of acute angles measured from the axis. One of the other two sensors is a vertical angle sensor that is masked to receive a larger quantity of light from a first side of the horizontal plane than from a second side of the horizontal plane. The third sensor is a horizontal angle sensor that is masked to receive a larger quantity of light from a first side of the vertical plane than from a second side of the vertical plane. The positioning controller further includes circuitry for determining an orientation of the positioning controller using the amounts of light received by the reference sensor, the vertical angle sensor and the horizontal angle sensor.
Presently, set-top box technology is emerging which is delivering added programming and Internet access to the home entertainment center of the consumer. The normal configuration is to have a number of separate boxes, such as a TV, a VCR and a cable or satellite receiver. To this combination can be added a DVD player, integrated stereo sound, etc. Usually these devices are not all of the same brand and each has it""s own IR remote control. Most users opt for a single xe2x80x9cuniversalxe2x80x9d remote to operate all of the equipment. Many of the OEM remotes have the capability of being programmed to operate the other devices. Consumers generally are not willing to have 4 or 5 remotes.
Additionally, home display screens are increasingly being used as interfaces to computer systems and the Internet. Accordingly, a need has appeared to provide a xe2x80x9cmousexe2x80x9d function which can interact with a home display screen in the same manner as a conventional personal computer mouse. Attempts have been made to provide mouse devices operable with home television screens, but their performance has been limited and unsatisfactory.
A universal remote control device is modified to include circuitry for communicating with a remote beacon to enable the universal remote to provide a mouse-function in conjunction with a display screen. In one embodiment, the universal remote is provided with infrared sensors, which receive infrared energy from the beacon. The amplitude of the beacon pulse transmitted to the sensors is varied and a wide angle sensor is used in order to increase the range of operation. The beacon is automatically turned off to leave the spectrum open for transmitting universal remote control codes and then automatically re-enabled. In a preferred embodiment, this operation is achieved by detecting activity on the remote section and sending a xe2x80x9cshut-downxe2x80x9d command before outputting TV or other remote control codes.